0:00:02 > 0:00:05We dream of owning the perfect home, but finding a place that suits
0:00:05 > 0:00:08your wallet and way of life isn't easy. Well, I have a solution.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Stop searching for something to buy and consider somewhere to build.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Every year 20,000 people make the journey of a lifetime
0:00:16 > 0:00:21and opt to build their own home, and we'll be following some of them
0:00:21 > 0:00:23as they go from foundations to finishing touches.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28I've built it in my head a thousand times. It's exceeded all expectations.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33Along the way our brave self-builders will experience amazing highs.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Yes, we've done it!
0:00:36 > 0:00:38And some frustrating lows.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43I didn't expect the level of hatred that I feel that has been thrown at us about having a house built.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47But if they can overcome these trials and tribulations,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51they'll end up with the home they've always desired.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54So if you're looking for your perfect pad, the question is simple.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58To Build Or Not To Build?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Coming up, the listed barn in northeast England
0:01:06 > 0:01:08that's getting a truly modern makeover.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13So it's a brand-new modern house, all wrapped up in history, isn't it?
0:01:13 > 0:01:14- That's it.- Gorgeous!
0:01:14 > 0:01:18How self-building an amazing home can leave you lost for words.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20I was gobsmacked.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24It was just fantastic, and I'd never realised that it would be
0:01:24 > 0:01:26the wow factor that it actually is.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30My sawing technique leaves me hacked off at building school.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31If you've paid for a full saw,
0:01:31 > 0:01:35I'd use all of it rather than just a third of it.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Today, I'm in Elton on Teesside to meet a couple who are planning
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to convert an 18th-century barn into a contemporary new home.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54Now, barn conversions are nothing new, but this one is definitely different.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58To make it work, they're going to self-build a completely new house
0:01:58 > 0:02:01inside the historic structure.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09Florist Hilary Maddren knows a thing or two about immaculate presentation,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13but it's not just her wedding bouquets that are perfectly arranged.
0:02:13 > 0:02:19The 200-year-old farmhouse she shares with her partner, John Robson, is equally beautiful.
0:02:21 > 0:02:27The couple bought the five-bedroomed Grade II listed cottage six years ago, and have spent
0:02:27 > 0:02:32a considerable amount of time and money completely renovating the property.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35But just when all the hard work had finished,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39they decided to tackle another blooming big project.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44As I approached your house, I thought, "What a beautiful house."
0:02:44 > 0:02:48I've come inside - what a beautiful house. Why do you want to move?
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Something a bit smaller.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54We're just finding this probably a little bit too big for the two of us.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Honestly, that's the reason? You're downsizing into your own self-build?
0:02:58 > 0:03:04Yes and no. The new house is possibly going to be about the same size as this.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Ha, I love this! "Oh, it's the old downsize...
0:03:07 > 0:03:10"We're downsizing into exactly the same."
0:03:10 > 0:03:14- Yes.- Hopefully it's going to be a different style of living.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16This is a traditional farmhouse,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19this is going to be contemporary, open-plan living.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21So we're going from one extreme to the other.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28So the drop down is really a shift sideways, about 40 metres sideways.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Hilary and John originally planned to turn the derelict, roofless,
0:03:33 > 0:03:39Grade II listed barn in their backyard into a walled garden.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Now though, they've decided to ditch the landscaping
0:03:41 > 0:03:45and give it a totally new lease of life.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53But self-building is very rarely a bed of roses, so are the florist
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and her partner mad to move?
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Who's to blame then? Because someone must've gone, "You know that barn,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05"I think we could turn that into something nice"?
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I think it was possibly him.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10I think it was possibly you!
0:04:13 > 0:04:18The average house price here in Elton is £350,000.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23To make this project a reality is going to take a similar investment,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28which Hilary and John hope to recoup from the sale of their current home.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33While the barn's exterior walls will remain, they're adding two
0:04:33 > 0:04:38additional floors and the whole ground floor will be open-plan.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42The atrium skylight and wrap-around conservatory will provide
0:04:42 > 0:04:47a contemporary contrast to the ageing brick facade.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Hilary and John are expecting the build to take between 10
0:04:51 > 0:04:53and 12 months, and to reduce the stress, they've employed
0:04:53 > 0:04:56a project management team to oversee construction.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01To get the go-ahead for their modern build,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Hilary and John had to think inside as well as outside the box.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Well, this is it.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Wow! Believe it or not, this is really my kind of thing.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Honestly. But I've got a question for you immediately.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20This is a renovation, it's not a new-build.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- Well, it is and it isn't. - It depends who you talk to.- Go on.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29We've actually got a brand-new lightweight metal structure
0:05:29 > 0:05:32going inside, and then these four walls will be tied
0:05:32 > 0:05:36into the metal structure so we have a new house, complete new modern house.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40- So it's a brand-new modern house all wrapped up in history, basically, isn't it?- That's it.
0:05:40 > 0:05:46A building's listed status means it's of special architectural or
0:05:46 > 0:05:50historical importance, and this often means features can't be altered.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52In this case, the four exterior walls.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55So the key is to work closely with the local authority's
0:05:55 > 0:05:59conservation officer, to find out exactly what you can and can't do.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03This can sometimes be a long and drawn out process, especially
0:06:03 > 0:06:07if your plans are quite radical, but fortunately in Hilary
0:06:07 > 0:06:11and John's case their application was accepted with minimal fuss.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Well, to be honest, the listed building people have been very, very good with us.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Basically, they've said to us they would like to go down the contemporary line,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25keep as much of the external features as they possibly can.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29That's brilliant. So they have given you carte blanche to turn this into
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- the juxtaposition of the old and the new.- Yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37- Right, come on. Take me around your new house if you would, please. What's down this end?- Right...
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Self-building takes a lot of imagination.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Hilary, paint the picture if you please.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51OK, so this is our new front door - in a way.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53So we will come in here,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and we will walk down, and the rest of it's open-plan.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59We have dining, sitting, kitchen areas.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- Is the tree staying?- Yeah.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So this now, is our open-plan atrium,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13so we're open three storeys right to the roof,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16a couple of oak beams going in there and a big glass roof.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- Oh, so there's nothing between us and the roof at that point?- Nothing.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Would you walk us through to the kitchen diner, please, madam?
0:07:23 > 0:07:27- Love to!- Here we go... (Barking.)
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Kitchen. This is the island.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- That's the island? - This is my island here.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38So where we were standing in the other house,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- we're now standing in the same spot here?- Yeah, this is it. Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Do you think it takes a certain type of person to have
0:07:45 > 0:07:47the imagination to see that in a derelict barn?
0:07:47 > 0:07:49I think so. THEY LAUGH
0:07:51 > 0:07:54My guess is, at this moment, you would make more money
0:07:54 > 0:07:57if you sold this derelict barn with the planning permission it's got
0:07:57 > 0:08:00than when you've completed it, is that right?
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- Absolutely.- So why don't you do that?
0:08:03 > 0:08:07- Well, there's no adventure in it, is there? - Good lad. That's what I like.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Self-builders - all barking mad!
0:08:10 > 0:08:13There you go - as we stand amongst the trees in the kitchen.
0:08:16 > 0:08:22But it's standing in the bathroom that poses the first real problem before building work even begins.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25We have mocked up the wooden frame,
0:08:25 > 0:08:31marking out the size of the en suite bathrooms for the two attic bedrooms,
0:08:31 > 0:08:36only to find out that unfortunately the architect has
0:08:36 > 0:08:40placed toilets where it's impossible to sit on and stand up again.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46As you can see, John's head is sticking through the roof.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49And it's not just toilet trouble...
0:08:49 > 0:08:51I can't get in the bath.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56Cos the bath's going to finish round about here.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59SHE LAUGHS You could get in the bath if you were on your hands and knees,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02and you could throw yourself over the side into the water.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07This could have been a massive issue if they'd not spotted it early,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09but by bringing their plans to life,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Hilary and John haven't been caught short. The bathroom is redesigned
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and the potentially major problem has been averted.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Before Hilary and John can begin building their new home,
0:09:22 > 0:09:27the old overgrown barn needs an industrial clear-out.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32I've got to admit at my age there's not many things that get you really, really excited -
0:09:32 > 0:09:36and 7:00 on Monday morning, a couple of low loaders arrived
0:09:36 > 0:09:40with a whole load of boys' toys on them,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and it was just so exciting, it was untrue.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45It was like Christmas when you're tiny.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50'This is it. This is building work.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52'We have arrived.'
0:09:52 > 0:09:55And you just saw this transformation.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59I just kept...being silly and clapping.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01It's just so exciting.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04'Whoo!'
0:10:05 > 0:10:09They've actually removed 126 tonne of earth from
0:10:09 > 0:10:14the interior of the barn, so they had to go down obviously quite a bit.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Work is finally on the way, but John isn't happy.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21He's worried about the size of the conservatory.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24We were up at 2:00 the other morning.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26Not sleeping about it.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30In his underwear, prancing round the kitchen with the tape measure
0:10:30 > 0:10:33going, "Oh my God, this conservatory is going to be far too small."
0:10:33 > 0:10:36That's a bit too much information, Hilary.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39But while John's having sleepless nights,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42she's not worried about size.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Just look how sunny it's going to be.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Look how small it is.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52I don't know. I just think if it was another metre longer that way.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57I just think another metre is going to be a lot more expense.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Still, nothing we can do about it now.
0:11:03 > 0:11:09No, there's not, John, and with building work about to begin Hilary's got history on her mind.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The men that'll have built this 200 years ago,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16will have never dreamed in their wildest dreams that all
0:11:16 > 0:11:21this time later that somebody would dream of living in this barn,
0:11:21 > 0:11:25but all they've done is keep the hay in it, keep their animals in it
0:11:25 > 0:11:32and we're going to make it into this 21st-century, fabulous home.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39The future looks bright, but there is one dark cloud on the horizon.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Hilary and John need to sell the farmhouse as they simply can't
0:11:42 > 0:11:45afford to pay a mortgage on two properties.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48There's always that underlying problem that if we can't sell the farmhouse,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51there's the possibility that we may have to sell this,
0:11:51 > 0:11:57but we just seem to have put so much, two years of dreaming about this that
0:11:57 > 0:12:02it would be absolutely heartbreaking if we did have to sell it, really...
0:12:05 > 0:12:07I'm getting choked up.
0:12:09 > 0:12:10I don't want to.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18When it comes to Hollywood glitz and glamour,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Burnham in Buckinghamshire is no stranger,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25as it's just a stone's throw away from the famous Pinewood Studios.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30But while the movie megastars come and go filming the latest blockbuster,
0:12:30 > 0:12:36the village is also setting for a self-build home with real showbiz style of its own.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45The leafy Home Counties village of Burnham definitely has
0:12:45 > 0:12:47celebrity A-lister appeal.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50So when professional property renovator Alexa Collins had
0:12:50 > 0:12:51the chance to build her own home,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55she created a house that's a real show stopper.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06And this huge five-bed, four-bathroom family house certainly
0:13:06 > 0:13:10wouldn't look out of place in Beverly Hills.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13I was gobsmacked. It was just fantastic.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16I'd never realised that it would be the wow factor that it actually is.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Alexa lives with her young daughter
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and jointly owns the house with her brother, and the design needed to be
0:13:28 > 0:13:32extremely flexible to accommodate their wildly differing lifestyles.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35We have an unusual dynamic.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39My brother lives abroad and he has a wife and four children.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43I'm here most of the time just with my daughter who's eight.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47But when we're together, we need to expand and change that space.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02The whole thing was designed around this central open space,
0:14:02 > 0:14:07which gives such a luxurious feeling, and also it works for us
0:14:07 > 0:14:11because even if my daughter's upstairs and I'm downstairs,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13we can be in the same space together,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and it's just my favourite part of the house.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22But what makes this family house even more special
0:14:22 > 0:14:26is that the plot was where Alexa and her brother lived as children.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I grew up playing in this garden.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31We moved here when I was 11. My mum died about ten years ago.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34My dad has Alzheimer's and isn't around any more.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38So we had to decide what to do with the house - do we adapt it, do we just sell it?
0:14:38 > 0:14:40In the end we decided that what we would do,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44is we would knock it down and build a new one.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The plot deserved to have a good house built on it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51A special house. And I think that I've done that.
0:14:54 > 0:15:00Although much-loved, the original family home had become tired and in need of refurbishment.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05From demolishing the old house, Alexa set herself a 12-month deadline
0:15:05 > 0:15:07and a budget of £350,000 to build the new house.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10To keep costs under control,
0:15:10 > 0:15:15she used her experience in property renovation to get some great bargains.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I've done the kitchen and the utility room for under £15,000.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24Everything is negotiable these days. Go out and get a deal and ask for 20% or 30% off.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27You might not get it, but you will get a discount.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30But things didn't always go according to plan.
0:15:30 > 0:15:36One of Alexa's other major headaches was the glass balustrade
0:15:36 > 0:15:41central to the house's theme of light and openness.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46I had to do all the specification work myself, which was really, really scary.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Throughout the whole of the project, I was on site pretty much every day.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53The day this balustrade arrived,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I checked the boxes to know that it was all there
0:15:56 > 0:16:00and it was all in one piece, and then I couldn't bear to watch it.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03If it was wrong, it would have been so wrong, and it would have been my fault.
0:16:05 > 0:16:11The stunning interior finishes meant that Alexa spent significantly more than she budgeted for,
0:16:11 > 0:16:16and the final bill came in at a hefty £500,000.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19I went with my gut instinct on a number of things
0:16:19 > 0:16:21without getting exact quotes,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and I was woefully under on some major things,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28like the electrics and the plumbing, and also on the fabulous lighting.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30That wasn't in the budget at all.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33The high quality finish might have blown her budget, but it was worth it.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38The house is now valued at an impressive £1 million plus.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43But doubling her investment wasn't Alexa's motivation to self-build.
0:16:43 > 0:16:49It was about keeping her family tree firmly rooted in the place she grew up.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52I sit here sometimes - this is where my mum used to sit -
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and I think about whether they would like it, whether my parents would like it,
0:16:56 > 0:17:01and I know my mum would absolutely adore the whole thing, with it being so modern.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04It would probably be a bit too modern for my dad's tastes,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07but then there's a very traditional snug at the front
0:17:07 > 0:17:11where he could sit with his Financial Times with the fire lit,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13even in the middle of summer, shut the door,
0:17:13 > 0:17:18and know that his grandchildren are playing outside, but that no-one was going to bother him.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21So I think that they would absolutely love the space.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33In Teesside, Hilary and John are transforming the 200-year-old roofless barn
0:17:33 > 0:17:36in their back garden into a 21st-century home.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40The barn is a Grade II listed property,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43so while the four walls must remain,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47they're building a steel frame inside them, creating a four-bed, three-storey house.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50It's effectively a building within a building.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55We're really excited.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59We might not look it, but we are really, really excited, aren't we?
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- We are, yes. - We come out every night.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03John comes out with his gloves on and his hammer
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and takes a few more bricks out and cleans a few bricks up,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- and feels like he's actually... - Doing my bit.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Doing something quite constructive.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Hilary and John were tempted to co-ordinate the build themselves,
0:18:18 > 0:18:23but instead they've employed two project managers, Tracey and Jeff.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27With it being listed, it does make it a little bit more difficult.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31We have to make sure that we are sympathetic to the building that was there,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34and stick to the guidelines we've been given to work in.
0:18:34 > 0:18:40You can see the walls on the original barn were between two and three bricks solid,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44so where we've had to create new openings, it's been
0:18:44 > 0:18:46exceptionally hard work for some of the lads,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49because although it LOOKS like it's run down
0:18:49 > 0:18:51and starting to fall to bits, it's not -
0:18:51 > 0:18:56it's a very solid structure for its age on proper foundations.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00That's the past, but, with concrete laid,
0:19:00 > 0:19:06Hilary and John can start to picture the future and their open-plan ground floor.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10- HILARY:- So where John's stood now, that is the start of the lounge.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14The lounge-cum-open-plan dining room.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20And then, as he walks over to the other bar on the line, that shows you the outside line
0:19:20 > 0:19:26of where the staircase will run from there.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29He looks like an air stewardess!
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It's month three,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and it's definitely the biggest day of the build so far.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Today, we are expecting delivery of the steel frame.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43But the weather is working against them.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47The dirt track leading to the site has been turned into a swamp.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51But the track leading up to the barn, as you can see,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54is severely wet and rutted.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59To make the path manageable for the steel delivery wagon,
0:19:59 > 0:20:0150 tonnes of hardcore are brought in,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03hitting the budget to the tune of £700.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12But, with the steel now on site, spirits aren't dampened for long.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Well, this is really quite exciting, because this is the first fixing
0:20:16 > 0:20:22of the first bit of internal steel, so this is how you can see it's taking shape.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28The steel-framed panels have all been manufactured to order.
0:20:29 > 0:20:35For supervisor Jonathan and his team, construction is usually pretty straightforward.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39All the work is in the setting out, making the panels in the factory
0:20:39 > 0:20:43and once they come here, they stand up and screw together. It's like Meccano. It's not difficult...
0:20:43 > 0:20:45as long as it's plumb.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47"As long as it's plumb."
0:20:47 > 0:20:51There lies the issue. A very big issue.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56The barn walls aren't straight, unlike the frame which is machine-made to precise dimensions.
0:20:56 > 0:21:02So the meeting of the old and the new isn't as realistic as it is romantic.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09I feel a bit sorry for the guys, cos they're normally used to putting up this nice, square,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13metal framework, to build something new
0:21:13 > 0:21:16or to go inside a new building.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20And I think they've really been tested, because this building,
0:21:20 > 0:21:25albeit it looks like four square walls in a rectangular shape,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29it was built 200 years ago by a load of farm labourers.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35- About 15 mil out. They don't build 'em like they used to!- No.
0:21:35 > 0:21:41The wonky walls mean this job is nothing like as straightforward as expected,
0:21:41 > 0:21:46and the problem has led to a design U-turn when it comes to some brick pillars.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Because of the way the walls go, and the depth of them varies in places,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54we were actually going to lose quite a bit of space
0:21:54 > 0:22:00on the overall width and length, so the pillars are now back to square one,
0:22:00 > 0:22:01back to the original thinking of
0:22:01 > 0:22:04they're being repointed and they're going to be features.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08So while they were originally going to be covered over, they'll now be on display.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10It's the first rule of house design -
0:22:10 > 0:22:13take a problem and turn it into a feature.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18And with complications starting to crawl out of the steel work,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Hilary and John are glad to have their project managers to take the strain.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24And then we'll sign off the next floor...?
0:22:24 > 0:22:31Project managers come at a price, usually between 7% and 15% of the build cost,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34but the cash their organisational skills can save you
0:22:34 > 0:22:39has to be weighed up against their invoice, as does the amount of hassle they can prevent.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41You don't hear about any problems
0:22:41 > 0:22:45until after they've been talked through with the relevant people
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and sorted out, so we only hear about things afterwards.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54It's build month four, and while the steel struggles have been sorted,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56there's another major issue -
0:22:56 > 0:22:59lifting the specially made wooden roof joists.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04With a crane already on site for the steel staircase,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08the plan is to save money and lift the oak roof beams, as well.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13But with Hilary and John obliviously enjoying a holiday in the sun,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18the wind is causing project manager Jeff a huge health-and-safety headache.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22We're not confident with the lift in these conditions.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25There is some movement in the truss, and what we don't want
0:23:25 > 0:23:27is the truss to break apart mid-air, obviously.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32Safety-wise, it's just a no-go. It's too unstable.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36It is a breezy day, and we just don't want anything to go wrong.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It'll cost Hilary and John an extra £200
0:23:41 > 0:23:45for a crane to lift the oak another day when it's a little less breezy.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Five months after my first visit, I'm back to see how it's all going.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02I think, of all the places I've been to see, this was the one - I don't know why -
0:24:02 > 0:24:05that I was most looking forward to coming back to see.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06How's it been going?
0:24:06 > 0:24:10They're really progressing very well. Up to the roof level.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13First fix plumbing's in. Without the roof on.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- We're all a bit back to front... - See, I knew you were mad!
0:24:17 > 0:24:22We booked a holiday, just to go away for a week.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26We did think we might come back to the roof being on, and it wasn't.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- But we're getting there. - But the windows were in. - The windows were in!
0:24:30 > 0:24:31No roof, but windows.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37So, just to remind you as well,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40the last time I stood here there was literally...
0:24:40 > 0:24:45We were wading our way through nettles and trees and stuff. So what a change.
0:24:45 > 0:24:50- So this is like the kind of central living space, is it?- This is going to be the living area.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54How much of this is going to be open above us? Will we just see the flying staircase above us?
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The idea is that, when it's all finished,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02this'll look like it's...floating, I suppose is the best way I could describe it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09In this very spot, I distinctly remember we stood here
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and you told me where the kitchen stuff was going to be.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17- This is my island.- This is it.- I did have trees and what have you here.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22- That's right.- But we have a massive big island going in here.- Fantastic.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24This is exciting. I can hear excitement in your voice.
0:25:24 > 0:25:31I've got to calm myself down a bit because you just get really, really excited.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34We were going to have this as a kitchen and a sitting area,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36so we were going to have a two-way fireplace,
0:25:36 > 0:25:43- but we think now we're just going to make this a big kitchen with a dining table.- OK.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's probably going to be a one-sided fire,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48which he's delighted about because it's saved us £2,000.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51There you go. That works. That's how to claw it back. Yeah.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56Brilliant. Let Hilary change her mind and hopefully it'll be a cheap change of mind.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00- That's how it works.- Yeah, but sometimes it works in reverse.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02More often than not will be my guess!
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Next stop, the rooms with a view in the roof.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- And this space is just fantastic up here.- This is a glass wall at the end. We've got glass doors,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17a glass panel either side then you step out on to a little balcony.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19We thought this might be our summer bedroom
0:26:19 > 0:26:23and the one below will be our winter bedroom.
0:26:23 > 0:26:30That is possibly the most ostentatious thing I ever heard in my life.
0:26:30 > 0:26:31- A summer and a winter bedroom!- Yeah.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36It'll be nice in the summer to sit on the balcony and have a glass of wine and just look out.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38- A bit more cosy in winter.- Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41So much for downsizing. Having different bedrooms for different seasons
0:26:41 > 0:26:46means their new home towers over their old farmhouse. But of course,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50- the future of this place is tied in with the future of that place.- Yes.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Where would you be if you couldn't find a buyer for that?
0:26:54 > 0:26:58We will have to seriously think about putting this on the market and selling this.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00We have to sell one or the other.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03We'll just have so much money tied up in these two properties...
0:27:03 > 0:27:05That you have got to release it somewhere.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- That doesn't bear thinking about it, does it?- No.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15Hilary and John are waiting until the new house has a roof before putting the farmhouse on the market.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19It'll therefore look more attractive to potential buyers,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22but the depressed housing market is a big concern.
0:27:22 > 0:27:28- So basically, if all goes well, but...- Fingers crossed.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33If their future is to be under this new roof,
0:27:33 > 0:27:38they certainly need to sell the old place sooner rather than later.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49If you're self-building, then being a dab hand at DIY
0:27:49 > 0:27:54is a good way to save money. But you'll definitely need the know-how.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57I'm taking a crash course of classes at building college.
0:28:01 > 0:28:06Today, it's joinery and, touch wood, I'll hopefully impress the teacher.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17In the joinery department, Mark, what have you got me doing today?
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- Today, you are going to fit architrave around the staff room.- Ah.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Architrave provides the finishing touch to any door
0:28:26 > 0:28:30as it covers the unsightly gap between the door frame and the wall.
0:28:31 > 0:28:37I have fitted, it must be 50 pieces of architrave in my time,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41and I have never got it right on one single occasion.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45So how long would it take you to do this?
0:28:45 > 0:28:47- Five minutes.- Five minutes?
0:28:47 > 0:28:51- So I'd give you ten minutes. - Ten minutes.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56Thanks, Mark. I can see this going very badly wrong again. Right,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59- I better get on it, hadn't I? - You certainly had.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02'Because I have previous experience, Mark's letting me go it alone.
0:29:02 > 0:29:08'Hopefully, he'll point out where I've been going wrong. First, I need to measure and mark the points
0:29:08 > 0:29:09'where the architrave will sit.'
0:29:09 > 0:29:13And that line's got to meet up. That's the way.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'The biggest challenge is get the edges to fit snugly.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21'Then the key is cutting 45-degree angles in the wood and for that, you need a combination square.'
0:29:21 > 0:29:24And then you want to mark across it 45.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28'I think we all know where I've been making mistakes in the past!'
0:29:29 > 0:29:31It's like a chimp's tea party!
0:29:33 > 0:29:37'Now, seeing as Mark is an expert, I really should listen.'
0:29:37 > 0:29:39If that's moving, you may want to clamp that down
0:29:39 > 0:29:44so you can worry more about cutting than you are holding it steady.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47I'll do the next one like that. It's taken on board.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49'But I'm just a bit lazy.'
0:29:53 > 0:29:55I kind of see what you mean.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Also, with your saw, if you paid for a full saw,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03I'd use all of it rather than just a third of it.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06You also get straighter cuts if you use a full blade,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08which we may find...
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm in a hurry, I can't hear you!
0:30:14 > 0:30:18Now, I would advice you, Simon, to leave your nails proud
0:30:18 > 0:30:21because the way you're hitting it,
0:30:21 > 0:30:25you're damaging the architrave, which is meant to be a finish.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29And they'll be finished off with a nail punch.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34I know I shouldn't bite my nails, can't help it!
0:30:36 > 0:30:38Two minutes left now, Simon.
0:30:38 > 0:30:39You better get a move on.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Looks like you're getting the hang of this.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43'A rare compliment from Mark.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47'I might have finally got architrave nailed...
0:30:48 > 0:30:49'..but then again...!'
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Nothing a bit of filler won't sort out.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55The last 30 seconds, Simon.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58With seconds left, a bit of guesswork is required.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Really got to move quickly here.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04No time for your fancy mitering.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14- Right, I'm afraid, that's it. - Done.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17'And it turns out, freestyle cutting is my forte.'
0:31:17 > 0:31:21Do you know, for a rushed 45, that's not far off.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27In fact, I did it better without the square.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31That's where you're going wrong at home, you're trying to do it.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34It's not all positive feedback though, there are of course
0:31:34 > 0:31:38the usual hammer blows to the woodwork and my pride.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43You've left a few marks in the timber and damaged your frame
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and your architrave with the hammer.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Go on, then.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Give me the dreaded mark out of ten.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Well, I would've said seven, but because of damage you've left, six.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Six? From you?
0:32:01 > 0:32:04That is cause for celebration, cheers, mate.
0:32:04 > 0:32:05That's fantastic!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Well, what can you expect, from a bodger?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23In Teesside, Hilary and John
0:32:23 > 0:32:27are building a futuristic home inside a 200 year-old barn.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Six months in, the build is more or less on schedule.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35As for the budget, a change of heart has hit them in the pocket.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42I'm sat here on this really, really nice oak staircase.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Absolutely beautiful staircase.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50It's been made to quite specific specifications by the architect,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53but unfortunately, I don't like it.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57All the rest of the staircase is a completely different design
0:32:57 > 0:32:59and it just doesn't work.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01It really, really doesn't work.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03So, I made the big decision.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06We're actually going to take this staircase out
0:33:06 > 0:33:10and Steel Frame Company are making a staircase now,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13that is going to match, imitate everything else.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Changes this late in the build always have cost implications,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20so to avoid expensive mistakes,
0:33:20 > 0:33:25it's important to carefully comb through all the fine details of your plans
0:33:25 > 0:33:28and spot a problem like this before it's too late.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33According to Hilary,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37the decision to switch her stairs has cost £1,200.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42But she's knocked a bit off for imaginative recycling.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Because we're going to reuse the staircase somewhere else,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47the actual...
0:33:47 > 0:33:48You have to look at it.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Tell them where we're going to use it.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55We have to look at it that what we're actually doing is what we wanted in the first place
0:33:55 > 0:33:58- so that is not the extra cost.- Tell them where we're going to use it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01The answer Hilary is avoiding,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05is that the very expensive hand-crafted wooden staircase
0:34:05 > 0:34:07is actually heading for their current home,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11the neighbouring farmhouse, in the garage.
0:34:11 > 0:34:17Which is, at the moment, a pull-down wooden attic ladder.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21So instead, it's going to have a hand-made oak staircase, but it will look really nice.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24I think we should re-shoot this
0:34:24 > 0:34:29because every time we film and talk about it, it comes down in price.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33So, if we keep re-shooting, I might feel a bit happier!
0:34:38 > 0:34:43Into build month eight, and the house is starting to look like a home.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47Decorating is under way and Hilary and John are hard at work.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Things are just all, like, really coming together now.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56But is Hilary getting just a bit too fussy?
0:34:56 > 0:35:01I just noticed that there was a bit of a delve up here.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04I'm just straightening up around the socket.
0:35:04 > 0:35:05They're just not square.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10As the sockets are going on, they need filling in.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13It's just become an obsession with her.
0:35:13 > 0:35:14She's driving me nuts.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Hilary is fixated with the smallest details,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23but there's a much bigger concern just round the corner.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26They still face the prospect of having to sell this new-build
0:35:26 > 0:35:28if they can't shift the farmhouse.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31It's been on the market for six weeks now
0:35:31 > 0:35:34and we've had three offers which we've turned down.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37They were very low offers.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40We're just hoping we haven't cooked our goose.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44So come March or April, if nothing's happening,
0:35:44 > 0:35:49then we will start panicking a bit, but we might rent the farmhouse.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51It would break our hearts now to have to sell this.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53We've become so attached, it's so personal.
0:36:01 > 0:36:0511 months since work started, Hilary and John are moved in
0:36:05 > 0:36:07and I'm back at the barn to see how things have turned out.
0:36:07 > 0:36:13The "Sold" sign outside their farmhouse is an encouraging start.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15I know you're not supposed to have favourites,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19but when I first looked round John and Hilary's derelict barn, I got very excited.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21I can't wait to see how it's turned out
0:36:21 > 0:36:24and it's already looking fabulous.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33It's incredible to think that when I first came here ten months ago,
0:36:33 > 0:36:34this was just a ramshackle old barn.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40Talk about a transformation.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51And there's clearly been no expense spared inside the house.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Hilary's attention to detail has really paid off.
0:37:00 > 0:37:05Oh, this is it. This is it. That's kind of modest, isn't it?
0:37:05 > 0:37:12This is a fantastic space. This is just amazing.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Do you pinch yourself?
0:37:15 > 0:37:18I did last week when I walked in from doing the shopping
0:37:18 > 0:37:19and I walked in the front door
0:37:19 > 0:37:24and this lovely kind of "oh" feeling - "This is our home.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27"This is our house". It just looked fab.
0:37:31 > 0:37:37Just as Hilary and John intended, this is every inch the 21st-century home.
0:37:37 > 0:37:45The 200-year-old exposed brick work columns which they originally intended to cover up,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48are a subtle reminder of the building's past,
0:37:48 > 0:37:53but there is nothing dated about Hilary and John's fabulous kitchen.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Hilary, I'm just going to remind you
0:37:56 > 0:38:00that you stood more or less exactly where you're standing,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04and said, "My kitchen island is going to be here",
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and there was a tree between us and weeds and rubble.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12- Nettles.- And people must have thought you were mad at that point.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14And here it is.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19- We knew it would be here all along, didn't we?- We did. We did. Very confident.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22You forget that this
0:38:22 > 0:38:24is a box within a box.
0:38:25 > 0:38:31That's amazing. Because the illusion is complete in here, isn't it?
0:38:31 > 0:38:33- Yes.- Amazing. Absolutely gorgeous.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36More. More. Come on, let's go. Let's go!
0:38:39 > 0:38:42The interior looks stunning, but there are a few finishing touches to add,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47the all-glass sun room and the landscaping will be finished later in the year.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Back inside, and Hilary's decision to replace the very traditional staircase
0:38:51 > 0:38:54with this modern white-rendered version might have been expensive,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58but it helps retain the overall contemporary design of the house.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Hilary and John originally told me they were downsizing,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12but this new place has four bedrooms across two floors
0:39:12 > 0:39:15while their en-suite bathroom is one of four in the house.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17This was the most expensive,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21- and the guest bedroom was next. And then...- As you work up the house!
0:39:21 > 0:39:25- ..they get cheaper! - And less people will see them!
0:39:28 > 0:39:31But there hasn't been much compromise anywhere else.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Selling the farmhouse eased the financial pressure and allowed Hilary
0:39:35 > 0:39:39to spend a little more of their £350,000 build budget
0:39:39 > 0:39:41on the luxurious fixtures and fittings.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44We were hoping to bring it in at a lot less,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48but I think once we realised - it's a bit of a shock to John, this -
0:39:48 > 0:39:51but once we realised...
0:39:51 > 0:39:54You've never added up all these figures, have you?
0:39:54 > 0:39:59No, I've left it to Hilary and just buried my hand head in the sand, basically.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Hilary and John already owned their plot,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05which gave them a financial advantage when it came to building.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09Their total outlay on the build came in at £400,000,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13which means they've overspent by £50,000.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18So was transforming this historic barn into a modern home worth it?
0:40:18 > 0:40:20We've had this place valued,
0:40:20 > 0:40:26and... I know, this is the first time I've seen Hilary looking nervous.
0:40:26 > 0:40:32..and this place has been given a market value of £695,000.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34SHE GASPS
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- Really?- Really?
0:40:37 > 0:40:41- I would have been happy if we'd have broken even.- Yeah, yeah.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46That's a huge saving of £295,000.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48And breathe, Hilary.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51That's good. Yeah.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55I was panicking, yeah, because... Yeah.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58I know why you were panicking. Because you haven't compromised one penny!
0:41:00 > 0:41:02But it's not just about facts and figures.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Hilary and John clearly love this home
0:41:05 > 0:41:09and they've enjoyed the self-build experience, most of the time!
0:41:11 > 0:41:13The worst parts of this
0:41:13 > 0:41:16were when John and I had to make a decision together, the two of us.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- You're serious, as well, aren't you?- I'm serious, yeah.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24We have had domestics in every tile shop,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26every flooring shop.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31The things we had to specifically go and choose, design and pick.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35- Every lighting store, there has been...- There's been trouble.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39There has been massive, massive trouble. Massive trouble between us.
0:41:39 > 0:41:40- I lost every one.- Of course!
0:41:40 > 0:41:46And look out, John, it seems Hilary has caught the self-building bug
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and might have itchy feet already.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54- I've heard she is looking for a piece of land.- Yeah, we've seen a plot of land.- Seriously?- Yeah.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55You'd do this again?
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Yes, because we have come through the other end now
0:41:59 > 0:42:02and we're in this lovely house and we love it.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04The only thing I can liken it to is childbirth.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07At the time, it's absolutely horrendous,
0:42:07 > 0:42:11but somehow you forget all of that and you suddenly start thinking,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13"It was easy. We could do it again."
0:42:16 > 0:42:21But after all that slightly obsessive attention to detail,
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Hilary and John are going to enjoy this place for a little while yet.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28If they do take the plunge again, though,
0:42:28 > 0:42:33surely nothing will be harder than fitting a modern home inside a wonky old barn?
0:42:37 > 0:42:42Now, listen, as a little keepsake to help you remember us and to help you remember this process,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44we've got you something.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48There you go. We thought, as you had an old house that didn't have any straight walls,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50you might like a spirit level.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52That is absolutely amazing. Fantastic.
0:42:52 > 0:42:59So you can now go around and make sure everything is level!
0:42:59 > 0:43:01I just want to check that that light is...
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- You do as well, don't you?- I do. - You do!
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:22 > 0:43:24E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk